Mary Hart Says She's Leaving 'Entertainment Tonight'

By PopEater Staff Posted Aug 5th 2010 11:25AM

After nearly three decades of feeding the masses their daily diet of pop culture and celebrity news, Mary Hart has announced she's leaving 'Entertainment Tonight.' Hart, who joined 'ET' in 1982, will move on after the show's 30th season, which begins Sept. 13.

"I've had the privilege of spending 29 years doing something I love -- how often does that happen?" she said in a statement Thursday."I only meant to be at 'ET' for three years, suddenly it's almost 30!"

Hart, 59, said she's reached a point in her career where she realizes it's time to change things up. "There are many things I want to do in my life and I'd better get on with them."

Leaving will be bittersweet for Hart, who was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 1999.

"It will certainly be with mixed sentiments that I say 'goodbye' at the end of the season, but it will definitely be with a sense of celebration ... 30 years of Entertainment Tonight, are you kidding me?" she said. "That's an accomplishment and something I'm very proud of!"

Those accomplishments include being on the ground floor of entertainment new shows. Now, there is no shortage of airtime given to celebrity dish -- Access Hollywood, TMZ, The Insider -- but before them, there was 'ET' with Hart at the helm.

"ET and Mary Hart have created the genre of entertainment news," John Nogawski, President of CBS Television Distribution said. "Not only has she defined ET for almost three decades but she's defined entertainment journalism."

She's also made quite an impression on the hundreds of celebs, publicists and experts that have appeared on the show. PopEater columnist Rob Shuter: "I have been a guest on almost every entertainment show and can say without a doubt that no one is nicer than the amazing Mary Hart. Mary was always the first smiling face you saw when you jumped out of a limo at the top of every major red carpet. She will be dearly missed."

Hart joined 'ET' in its second season, replacing several co-anchors, including Tom Hallick and Marjorie Wallace. There has been no decision on Hart's replacement.

Tags: entertainment tonight, mary hart

Comments

(27)

Thursday 05 August

By tony

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ahh,her and leeza,had the best looking legs on tv,would have loved to be john tesh back in the day.

By ddman

You will be Missed Mary :)

By Bonbon

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Good, can't stand her.

By Kim

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You got that right..........couldn't stand her. Too fake!

Friday 06 August

By dave

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Hey, tampon! I mean Bonbon. Why don't you and Kim get a life. You 2 buffoons are idiots.

By Jen

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I really hope they don't give Mary's hosting spot to that correspondent Jann Carl. I can't stand that woman; she's as phoney as a three dollar bill.

By GossipShow4Losers

Mary Hart is wayyyyy too old to be such a gossip girl on that tacky gossip show for people who idolize people on TV or in the movies. She was always too old for it and appeared to be a tacky, simple-minded fool - - sort of like Sarah Palin.

By Trouble

Its time Mary, your syrupy delivery and fawning has grown old and weary. I've never been the same since yall kicked Jan Karl to the curb. . .

By MAGOOS

That Mary Hart endured three decades on this cheesy program says a lot for her stamina. She played the part well; it takes special talent to host an inane show like this one and she acted it well. Good luck, old girl!

By fay

Seldom been on the show lately. Knew something was up. Whose idea was it?

By positive31

I remember in the 80's me glaring at her beautiful face and can't forget her million dollar insured legs. She was and still is beautiful woman. Good luck to her

By fran

you are so right she is still a beautiful lady

I am sorry to see you go Mary, I always enjoyed watching you. God bless you in the future and take care of yourself............now if Jan Carl or the one girl who is hosting now takes over for keeps i will stop watching all together......I cant stand the mouth on either of them..too big, they seem to move their mouths more than is necessary plus they are both phony........also I think E.T. is starting to get as bad as Radar on line, posting things before they know the truth and ruining people and hurting the families of these stars. I wish they would just go back to reporting decent stuff, if they have to report other things that are bad, at least get the proof first. I have been totally disgusted on the way they handled both Mel Gibson and Tiger's stories...

By Mona

Good!!! I am sick to death of her and that cheesy face.

By Mary

She misses 3 days a week anyway. No one will know she's gone

By Courtney

I'm in the minority here but I'm going to miss Mary. she's a great journalist and when she was interviewing the major stars sje never went below the belt for ratings.that's why so many of them trusted ET with their biggest News weddings child births. if they were older stars their childrens weddings and the births of their grandchildren. for example ET was the only entertainment show to Cover Melissa Newman's 1994 wedding and the births of her sons Peter & Henry in 96 & 98. granted the show has been friends with her parents/ still with her mother since the begining and neither of her parents liked giving interviews but never refused Mary. so it's gonna lose major star interviews after she steps down

By DEE

I don't believe for a minute that this was her idea. They've been "pushing her out" for some time now, cutting her air time more and more. There are a bevy of "younger" hosts and correspondents on the show, and I'm sure that's what it's all about............her age. Regardless of how you feel about her, she will ALWAYS be the "QUEEN" of entertainment information shows.

By Colleen

I remember when ET was respectable. Now it's all rag-mag like.

By joan

Sorry to see Mary Hart go, but ET has gotten to tabloidish and boring with their stories and do not enjoy watching it anymore. Mary may be smart in leaving what maybe a sinking show.

By V

I think perky oh so happy Samantha Harris was hired to replace her. Why would she leave DWTS and Extra or what ever she did . She is a younger verison of Mary Hart. No one leaves a show look at Barbara Walters . In her time she was great but I think they will have to wheel her in in a wheel chair and she will never leave The View . That show needs to go as well.

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